Coin selector



'Aug. 10, 1943. B. w. FRY P -rAL COIN SELECTOR Filed Aug.- 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l wiz-T Aug. 10, 1943., B. W. FRY ErAL COIN SELECTOR Filed Aug. 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fimo. [3.9.

Patented ug. 10, 1943 retain com sELEo'roa Benjamin W. Fry, University City, and John Gottfried, St. Louis, Mo.

Application August 2s, 1939, serialno. 292,174

Y zolaims. (ol. 19t-sn I the like.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of e, coin selector of the class described which is adapted to segregate coins (which term is 'used herein as inclusive of both good coins and counterfeit coins, slugs, discs, washers, tokens and the like) in ac-v cordance with their weight, diameter and surface characteristics, being adapted to receive and direct good coins along one path, but to intercept and ultimately direct along another path coins of subnormal weight, of excessive or subnormal diameter, and of improper surface characteristics, such as abnormal roughness or of perforated character; the provision of a coin selector of the class described which includes elements readily adapted for conjoint use with other types of coin testing apparatus: and the provision of acoin selector of the class described which is simple in construction, and effective, positive, and reliable Y in operation. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements, and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings., in which ar'e illustrated several of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of'a coin selector embodying the present invention: Fig. 2 is a rear 4elevation of the coin selector of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top planview of the coin selector of Fig. 1: l

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical cross sections taken substantially along lines 4 4 and 5 5, respectively, of Figures 1\ and 2;

l along lines 8--8 and 9-9 of 4Figures 6 and 7,

showing the `coin selector in its Fig. 6 operating position; 7

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of a coin selector constituting a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 11 is a. fragmentary back elevation of the coin selector of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a. cross section taken substantially along line i2-i2 of Figures 10 and 11.

Similar vreference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The present invention is concerned particularly with testing means for coin selectors, to simultaneously subjectthe coins to several tests of their physical characteristics. It thereby differs from coin selectors testing coins in accordance with their compositional characteristics. It is to be noted, however, that ir. many coin selectors, it s advantageous to test coins both for their physical characteristics and for their compositional characteristics, and one of the principal advantages of the apparatus of the present invention is that it can readily be embodied in a single coin selector with testing means for the composition of the coins presented thereto. In fact, the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings are particularly designed for cooperation with compositional testing means of the electrical resistance type, such as magnets inducing eddy currents in the coins presented thereto, although it will be'understood that the invention is by no means so limited.

Since a large proportion of the counterfeit coins or slugs presentedto the ordinary coin selector are abnormal in their physical, rather than their compositional characteristics, it is advisable that the physical testing means of the present invention be embodied in the coin selectorahead of the compositional testing means; in that way, the use of the compositional testing means is limited to those coins which successfully pass the physical tests. For this reason.

the testing means of the present invention is I preferably mounted, in a complete coin selector,

' travel therealong by gravity. Along its two sides,

selector is usually supported, for example, in the vending or other machine in which it is to be used. The flange 2 on theleft-hand side of the base plate I, as viewed in Fig. 1, terminates somewhat short of the top edgefof the base plate I, as indicated by numeral 3.

Pivotally supported on parallel ears 4 struck forwardly from the base plate I is a movable coin chute-defining plate 5. The plate 6 is in the form of a modiiied rectangular frame, having a large central opening 6, with a triangular portion (in outline) extending from the left-hand rectangular edge thereof. The top portion 1 of the plate 5 comprises a `bridge extending across the gap between the ears 9, in front thereof (see Fig. 3). The ears e, it will be noted, are disposed at different distances from the top of the plate I, so that the bridge portion 1, and the remainder of the plate 5, occupy a relatively sloping position as compared to the upper edge of base plate I. The two ends 6 and 9 of the bridge portion 'I are of sufficient length to extend substantially adjacent to the surface of the plate I. Through these ends and 9 pass screws I0 and II, respectively, which are threaded into the ears 4 to establish the axis on' which th'e plate 5 pivots. The portions of the ends 8 and 9 nearest the surface I are rounded, in order that the plate 5 may pivot on the screws Illland II, without jamming against the base plate I.

Numeral 9i indicates the lower edge of the plate 5, which is preferably parallel to the bridge portion or upper edge '1 of the plate 5. To the inner surface of this lower portion 8l :ls secured, as by screws I2, a block I9, the upper edge lli of which constitutes a coin runway. The block I3 is preferably only slightly thicker than the predetermined thickness of a legitimate coin to -be accepted by the selector.. The block I3 serves to hold the lower part of the plate 5 spaced from the base plate I a suitable distance so that coins introduced therebetween will roll along the edge It of the block I3. Preferably, although not necessarily, the edge I5 is bevelled or sloped in cross-section (see Fig. 4), and is so mounted. on the plate 5 that said edge slopes downwardly away from the inner surface of plate 5. The base plate I, pivoted plate 5, and edge Id of block I3 thus serve to define a sloping coin chute indicated generally by num-eral I5.

The left-hand end of the pivoted plate 5 includes a vertical frame portion I6 and a toprnost horizontal frame portion I1, which together conne-ct the left-hand end of the bottom portion 8l and the left-hand end of bridge portion 1 of said plate 5. The lower end of the vertical portion I6 is in substantially the same plane as the bottom portion 8l, but an off-set I8, about mid-way of the length of the vertical portion IE, brings the upper end of said portion I6, and substantially the entire portion I1, into approximately the plane of the top of the bridge portion 1. This means that at the upper left-hand corner of the coin selector, als viewed in Fig. 1, the plate lI and the portion I1 of plate 5 are spaced apart at a considerable distance (see also Fig. 3). This is the region provided for the introduction of coins to the selector of the present invention, and constitutes a substantially vertical coin chute delivering coins to the upper end of sloping coin chute I5. It will be seen that a coin can be introduced, generally parallel to the base plate I, and hence in a substantially vertical plana, at any point around the upper left-hand corner of the selector between the upper edge 3 of the left-hand side flange 2, and the pivot screw I0. A coin so introduced will dropvertically downwardly, in a substantially vertical plane, until it engages the edge I4 of block I3, and then rolls or slides down said edge I4 through the chute I5 (assuming, for the moment, that no obstructive means are presentI .the region of the chute I5 the plate 20 is spaced from the base plate I at a distance equal to the thickness of the block I9, which is the same as the thickness of the block I3. The left-hand end of the 4plate 2li is preferably ared outwardly by a slight angle, as indicated at numeral 22, to aidin guiding coins into ithe chute I5.

Numeral 23 indicates the right side of the pivoted plate 5. At a point substantially midway between its ends, the side 23 is provided with a forwardly extending boss or projection 2li. A screw 25 is threaded into this boss 2li, and carried on the screw 25 is a roller 25, for purposes hereinafter to be described.

Coiled around the pivot screw I I is a coil spring 21, one end 28 of which bears against the base plate I, while the other end 29 bears against .the screw 25. Spring 21 serves to resiliently hold the pivoted plate 5 against the base plate I, and said pivoted plate 5 may be lifted from the base plate I only against the reaction of spring 21.

Numeral di! indicates a scavenger' device, or blade, that is .pivoted on a screw 3i mounted in the base plate I' along the right-hand edge thereoi'. lThe scavenger blade 30, which is of slightly less than the thickness of the blocks I3 and I9, extends up the chute I5, between the plates I and 2li, substantially to the left-hand end of block I 9. This blade Si) has a cam portion or projection 9i along its upper edge ata position Just to the right of the pivoted plate 5, (Fig. l). Hooked into the blade 30 is one end of a tension v spring 32, the other Aend of which is secured in the right-hand flange 2. The tension spring 32 tends to maintain ythe scavenger blade 30 at all times in its uppermost position, with its top edge (inside the region of the pivoted plate 5) gbutaing the lower edge of block I9, as shown in ',Ihe upper edge I5 of the block I3 and the lower edge of the scavenger blade 30 gradually converge toward each other, proceeding downwardly along the chute I 5. These edges are separated, at a point substantially represented a+ the inner end of the block I3, by a distance juslI enough greater than the diameter of a legitimate coin, which the selector is designed to accept, so that such legitimate coin will pass therebetween. Coins of excessive diameter, however, will become wedged between the edge It and the lower edge of the scavenger blade 30, at points along the chute I5 determined by their diameters.

Numeral 33 indicates a shelf or projection that is struck forwardly at a slope from the base plate I (see also Fig. 4). This shelf 33 serves to direct coins discharged from within the chute I5, when the pivoted plate 5 is lifted, sidewardly away from Athe plane of the base plate I, for purposes hereinaiter to be made clear.

Y isjsaaau. l f 3 Numeral. 34 indicates a thin rectangular coinguidingplate that is secured to the inner surface of the pivoted plate at the upper left-hand corner thereof.- This plate 34 maybe made in` tegral with plate E'if desired. The plate 34, as

. will be apparent from Fig. 4, conforms generally to the shape of the plate E, with regard to its various degrees ofspacing f rom the base plate i.

Referring now more particularly to the rear elevation of the coin selector, Fig. 2, numeral tu indicates an operating lever pivoted on a screw at at the coin-receiving (now right-hand) upper corner of the base plate i. The lever 35 has a forwardlylextending flange 3i. to which is usually attached some means. such as apull or push plunger, associated with the manual operation of To the left of the bracket 54. the wire 51 is provided with an, offset portion 5 9 and a vertical base plate i, bears at its freev end on the loffset li)y portion Eiloi wire El, tending to rotate said wire,

at all times so that its projecting portion 6i will extend across the coin chute i5, 'as heretofore described. i

The operation of the coin selector as thus described will next be indicated:y

It is assumed that the elements of the selector are initially positioned as shown in Figures 1 through 5. \When, now, a legitimate coin is dropped` in the selector, fromthe upper lefttion 3thas a forward sloping or cam edge di),

which operates against the under side of the roller it on screw mounted on pivote'd plate d, and a rearward shoulder iii, which is adapted l to engage the cam portion 9| on scavenger blade lReferring again to Fig. 2, it will be seen that a coil spring (it is provided on a screw d3 mounted in base plate i, with one end of the coil spring d2 bearing against the under side of the flange ti, and its other end bearing against a stop screw tl likewise mounted in base plate i. lIhe spring it is arranged to apply, at all times, an upward force on the under surface oi said flange tl,

tending to cause said lever til always to rotate to its uppermost position. The uppermost position oi' said lever 3d is limited by engagement of the top edge of the projection 38 with the top edge of the openingtsin plate l (see Fig. 2).

vides, through the magnetic attraction of magnet @2 for screw lid, for a clockwise rotative tendency for lever d. Extending upwardly from the central portion of lever t5, just above the screw dd. is a rocker arm 5d, the upper end 5l of which is bent to extend forwardly through a hole 52 in base plate i, in a substantially vertical plane (see also Figures l and 4), and which finally terminates as a sloping portion 53 dihand corner thereof as viewdin Fig. 1, it falls vertically downwardly, positioned in a substantially vertical plane by plates I and 34, until its lower edge engages the edge 3 of flange 2 and the portion 5i of rocker arm 5l). The edge t and portion ti are initially arranged so as to be spaced apart a distance considerably less than the diameter of the legitimate coins which the selector is designed to accept.

The weight of the legitimate coin will nowv cause the rocker arm Eil to rotate to the right, as viewed from the aspect of Fig. 1, moving the portion .di farther and farther away from the edge 8 until the space is sulleient for the coin to pass therebetween, continuing its downward travel.

When the rocker arm is moved to the right.' viewed as in Fig. 1, it rotates the lever 45 so that the arm it thereof \is raised, thus bearing upon the end 58 of wire 51 and rotating said wire in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, to pull the wire end 6i back through the opening 62 and remove it from obstructing position in the coin chute iii. After the coin passes portion El, rocker arm 50 tends at once to return to its initial position,- due to the magl netic pull of magnet 82 on screw d8, thus permitting wire end iii also to return to its initial, obstructing position across chute l5. With a legitimate coin, however, the spacing of the elements is such that the face of the coin will have become positioned across the opening 62 in plate l before the rocker arm 5t returns to its initial position, so that the wire projection 6i will not have yet returned to obstructing position and rected forwardly and towards the left-hand (Fig.

l) edge of the selector. The opening 52, viewed from the aspect of Fig. 1, is just to the right of ltl'ie'right-hand edge of plate 34 which is mounted on pivoted plate 5.

Referring again to Fig. 2, numeral 5t indicates a bracket mounted by a screw on base plate i near the right-hand edge thereof, underwill be prevented from doing so by the face of the coin, and will thus lbe ineffective to stop that legitimate coin from proceeding downwardly along chute i5, to be delivered at the lower righthand corner of the selector, viewed asin Fig. 1. This holding action on wire Gil, 6i is possible, while the arm 50 moves to initial position, because arm t9 may separate from end 58 with lost motion.

When theinserted coin is of subnormal diameter, then, in passing between edge 3 and portion iii of rocker arm 5U, it will rotate said rocker arm through an extent insufficient to withdraw the wire projection 6l completely from obstructing position across the chute I5, and consequently the undersized coin will come to rest with its lower edge against said wire projection 6l, and will not proceed further int-o chute i5.

The manner in which coins of excessive diameter are stopped in the chute i5, by wedging between the edge I4 and the lower edge of the 1 scavenger blade 30, has heretofore been discussed. Thus coins of excessive diameter are likewise unable to pass through the chute I5.

When afperforated coin, such as a washer, is introduced into thel device, assuming that it is of dthe same diameter as a legitimate coin, it

will ioperate the elements in the manner here,y

to return to,obstructingposition, under the "in' fluence of the spring 63, substantially immediately after a coin has passed the portion 5l of rocker arm 5t; consequently, by the time a fraction of an inch of a coin has passed the pin tI, the pin 6i is tending to press back into its obstructing position. Thus, by the time the opening in a perforated coin or washer reaches the wire projection Si, said wire projectiontl is tending to return to obstructing position, and consequently it will jump into the perforation of the coin or washer, and, being lodged there, it will prevent the further movement of the perforated coin or washer down the chute l5.

Coins of excessive surface roughness are stopped in a manner similar to the stopping of perforated coins, only in this instance the stoppage is dueito excessive friction between Vthe end of pin SI and the rough surface of the coin. Coins of subnormal weight, such as paper or ber slugs, are unable, by reason of their lack of weight, to push the rocker arm 5I) to the right when their edges engage the portion 5i of said rocker arm. The lever l5 and rocker arm 5@ are balanced in advance with this weight consideration in mind. j Thus coins of insucient weight'are unable ever to pass between edges 3 and 5I.

To recapitulate, it will be seen that good coins pass freely through the indicated mechanisms into chute I5 and roll therealong to be delivered to the lower right-hand corner of the selector. Or, if compositional or other testing means are tc be provided, they may be delivered into such testing means by the chute l5. Coins of insufflcient weight are prevented from ever reaching the chute I5 by hanging up on edges 3 and 5I. oins of subnormal diameter pass freely between yedges 3 and 5I, but come to rest witb their lower edges kon pin Ill.` Coins of excessive diameter jam in chute I5 between edge I4 and the lower edge of scavenger blade 30. Perforated coins and coins of excessive surface roughness, like coins of Asubnormal diameter, pass between edges 3 and 5I, but hang up with the pin 6I extending through their perforations or frictionally engaged against their rough surfaces. It wil-l thus be seen that improper coins of all of the classes indicated are unable to reach or pass through the chute I5, for various reasons.

Any improper coin thus stopped within the device may be freed and removed simply by depressing the free, or right-hand end of lever 35, viewed from the aspect of Fig. 1. This operation causes the projection of the downward extension 38 of lever 35, through its sloping edge 40, to bear upwardly on the under side of roller 26,

thus raising said roller and with it pivoting the plate 5 on its screws ill and il, the pivoting being such that the lower edge of said pivoted plate 5 moves outwardly away from the base plate i. This movement carries with it the plate 3d mounted on the under side of plate 5, and the right-hand edge of plate 3G, bearing on the under side of sloping projection 53 extending forwardly from rocker arm 50, causes said rocker arm 5U to rotate to the right, as if a good coin were presented thereto, This rotation withdraws the pin 6l from its obstructing position; but by this time, the plate IS is lifted off the plate l, and there is thus no longer a lower defining means or runway for the coin chute I5.' Consequently upon this action the following things take place:

Oversized coins jammed between edge ifi of block i3 and the lower edge of scavenger blade 30 are at once freed by the lifting away from plate I of said edge it, and the freed oversized coin falls vertically down, out from; under plate 5, until it engages the sloping shelf 33 and is projected forwardly away from the plane of plate i, to be delivered approximately at the lower lefthand corner of the selector. An undersized coin, stuck with its lower edge against the pin tl, is freed by withdrawal of said pin, and consequently the undersized coin falls as do the oversized coins.

Similarly, perforated coins or washers and eX- cessively rough coins are likewise released by the withdrawal of the pin di, and fall as do the oversized and undersized coins.

Coins of insufficient weight are similarly released by the forcible rotation of rocker arm 5U by plate 343, and fall downwardly in the same manner as the oversized, undersized, and perforated coins.

When the free end of operating lever 35 is depressed in the manner described, the shoulder yill on projection 38 likewise comes to bear on cam portion SI along the upper edge of scavenger blade 30. This causes the scavenger blade 3i) to rotate downwardly, and to sweep across the coin chute I5, thus dislodging therefrom any coin stuck therein (such as a coin of excessive thickness if such coin has not already fallen as the edge I4 is removed by the pivoting of plate 5).

When the free end of operating lever 35 is released, the spring 42 causes it to return to its normal, upper position, and thus to permit the pivoted plate 5 to return to its normal position in juxtaposition to the plate I. The spring 63, operating on odset 59 of wire 51., simultaneously causes the end 58 of wire 51 to press on arm la of lever 45, and thus rotate rocker arm 50 back to its normal or Fig. 1 position. The selector is thus reposltioned in its normal position for receiving and testing another coin.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention wherein a different means is provided for operating the rocker arm 50 when the lever 35 is depressed. Referring particularly to Fig. 11, it will be seen that the upper edge of said rocker arm 50 is formed as a sloping or cam surface 15, adapted to be engaged by a pin 1B permanently mounted in the lever 35. When the said lever 35 is depressed, the pin 16, engaging said sloping surface 15, causes the rocker arm 50 to be rotated to the left (Fig. 11), or to the right, viewed from the front, as in (Fig. 10). The pin 'I6 and sloping edge I5 thus take the place of the forward sloping portion 2,326,211 53 of the rocker arm EU-of the'Fig. 1 embodimont, which is accordingly omitted.

Still another difference of the embodiment of Figures 10, 11 and 12 from the embodiment of Fig. 1 is that the plate 34, in the Fig. 10 embodiment, has been extended downwardly as far as the bottom of the plvoted plate 5, and an opening 'il has been provided therein through which the projecting pin 6i, in its normal position, ordinarily passes. As in the previous embodiment, the plate 34 may be made integral withplate E, if desired.

"in view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in' the accompanying 'drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim: l

l. in a coin selector, a coin passageway, intersecting means movably positioned in said passageway and mounted for deflection by a coin propelled by the action oi gravity in said passageway. an abutment movably amxed to said coin selector adjacent to said passageway and adapted to intersect said passageway at a point below said intersecting means, said abutment belng operatively related to said means, means for normally and simultaneously urging said inter secting means into said passageway into the path of coins deposited therein and urgingsaid abutment into said coin passageway, whereby the deposit of a coin having a diameter less than that of an acceptable value will not move said intersecting means suiciently far to withdraw said abutment an adequate distance to permit the passage of said coin, said abutment also adapted to engage one oi.' the face surfaces and thereby retain coins having face surface deformations greater than those oi an acceptable coin, to separate acceptable coins from spurious coins.

2. In a Icoin selector, a coin passageway, intersecting means movably positioned in said passageway and pivotally mounted for deectlon by a coin propelled by gravity in said passageway, an abutment movably ailxed to said coin selector adjacent to said passageway having an end adapted to intersect said passageway at a point below said intersecting means, said abutment being operatively related to said intersecting means and the said coin selector including means for normally and simultaneously urging said intersecting means into said passageway into the path of a coin deposited therein and urging said end oi said abutment into said coin passageway, whereby the relative movement oi said intersecting means and said end of said abutment by the action of said urging means will cause the said end to clear the leading edge oi a perforated coin deposited in said passageway and project into said perforation to suspend said coin on said end oi said abutment, to separate acceptable coins from spurious' coins. 

